The Third Rebirth (REBIRTH)
Without further ado, Ling Chen extended his hand before speaking in a serious tone, "When two people are in love, they should hold hands."
His palm was large, and while the back of his hand didn't show it, his palm was covered in gun calluses and rough to the touch. Ye Xiao placed his hand into Ling Chen's palm, and it was immediately enveloped by the other's grasp.
Feeling the searing warmth, Ye Xiao instinctively wanted to pull his hand back. Sensing his intention, Ling Chen tightened his grip, leading Ye Xiao back as he said, "The Captain will teach you how to be in love first. After you learn, if you like it and can accept it, then we'll be together, okay?"
This statement lacked any logical coherence, but Ye Xiao's attention was entirely focused on the hand being held by Ling Chen. Without fully understanding, he nodded, "Okay."
Ling Chen paused before turning to look at Ye Xiao, "Our Little Fuzzball," he thought, "how can you be so easily fooled?"
Leading Ye Xiao back, Ling Chen made a deliberate detour in front of Jian Lan and Jiang Cancan before finally getting into the car with a satisfied heart.
Pulling out a candy jar he had brought from home, Ling Chen took out two pieces of candy. After unwrapping one, instead of giving it to Ye Xiao, he said, "Your hands are dirty, let me feed you."
Ye Xiao nodded because he was already accustomed to Ling Chen occasionally feeding him candy. However, this time was clearly different from before.
After unwrapping the candy, Ling Chen held it between his teeth before he leaned down, and brought it close to Ye Xiao's mouth, encouraging him to take the initiative.
Ye Xiao's ears turned red, and his breathing quickened. With his right hand clutching Ling Chen's clothes, he leaned forward slightly until his lips touched Ling Chen's.
The aroma of the candy was enticing, and Ye Xiao, unaware of the danger, instinctively licked the candy held by Ling Chen with his tongue. But this was a blatant trap; Ling Chen took the opportunity to draw both the candy and Ye Xiao's tongue into his own mouth.
Mmm, so sweet.
Ye Xiao's eyes widened as Ling Chen spoke against his lips, "When you're in love, you kiss. Be good and close your eyes."
Outside, seeing that Ling Chen had even closed the car door, Jiang Cancan was extremely anxious, "Oh no, oh no, Chen Ge, that beast! He's already making his move so quickly!" He patted his buzz cut, "I regret it now, why didn't we buy some lubricant or something when we were getting weapons?"
Jian Lan had a different perspective, "It totally looks like a little lamb being dragged into the wolf's den by the alpha wolf!" She hesitated, "But the Little friend is so innocent and doesn't understand anything, won't he be tricked by Chen Ge?"
Jiang Cancan felt the same way, and both of them turned to look at Jiang Mu.
Jiang Mu was fiddling with the 3D Map, and seeing both of them staring at him, he calmly said, "Ye Xiao is actually quite aloof. Apart from Chen Ge, he's never paid attention to anyone else."
Jiang Cancan disagreed, but the words caught in his throat—upon reflection, it seemed true. At least up until now, Ye Xiao only accepted candy from Ling Chen.
Jiang Mu concluded, "His feelings for Chen Ge are more complex than just love. Don't overthink it, or you'll go bald."
Jiang Cancan, a lifelong singleton who had always relied on his five finger brother, truly lacked any skills in the realm of emotions. His concern quickly shifted to, "If Chen Ge starts openly acting like a rogue in the future, should we stop him?"
Jian Lan imagined a tragic scene and slapped Jiang Cancan on the shoulder, "Bro, you won't make it out of D Zone alive like this."
The seasonal transition mechanism in D Zone was chaotic, and by nightfall, the temperature had dropped to single digits with a tendency to fall further.
The group pulled out their cold-proof combat suits, lit a fire, and huddled together to hold a meeting.
Jiang Mu: "From our current position, it would take about ten days to cross D Zone and enter Zone Five without detours. Our weapons and food supplies are sufficient, and we have brought three months' worth of nutrient solution.
We will encounter mini-monsters along the way, but the frequency and species are unknown. It's uncertain if there are pursuers behind us, and it's also uncertain if anyone will be waiting at the border when we exit D Zone."
Jiang Cancan stretched his hands towards the fire, "Even with mini-monsters, pursuers, and ambushes, I feel like we're here on vacation! D Zone might be a bit weird, but it's still a good place. Even if someone follows us in, it's no big deal. Here, everyone's aim is off, high-tech is useless, and it's so desolate that we might not even run into anyone for ten days or half a month."
Jian Lan rubbed her nose, "It's just so damn cold!" After saying that, she wrapped herself tighter in her coat.
The meeting quickly went off-topic, and Jiang Cancan and Jian Lan seamlessly transitioned into their umpteenth night chat session, with Ye Xiao listening intently beside them.
Ling Chen turned his head and saw Ye Xiao's focused profile before a subtle sense of jealousy suddenly rose in his heart.
"Ye Xiao."
Ye Xiao turned his head, "Hmm?"
The burning fire cast half of his face in shadow and half in warm light, like a layer of luster on pure white porcelain. This turn of his head made Ling Chen involuntarily marvel.
He reached out to Ye Xiao, "Come over to the Captain." Ling Chen's voice, naturally hoarse, now softened, was incredibly seductive.
Jiang Cancan and Jian Lan sat across the fire and watched Ye Xiao obediently move next to Ling Chen.
They stopped chatting, and Jiang Cancan scratched his head anxiously, muttering, "Damn, Chen Ge, can't you just speak normally? So flirtatious!"
Jian Lan clutched her chest, "My child, Dad, no, Mom is heartbroken!"
Jiang Cancan: "Bro, you actually sound a bit like a girl!"
Jiang Mu, who had been silent, suddenly interjected, "Isn't it more like an old mother?"
Jian Lan rolled her eyes, "You guys are killing me! If you have the guts, let's fight. Don't chicken out if you're a real man!"
Ling Chen found the noise annoying, "Let's go, Captain will take you for a walk." Saying that, he picked up a lantern and led Ye Xiao away.
The night was colder than the day, and Ling Chen, worried Ye Xiao might get sick, didn't dare to go too far.
Holding Ye Xiao's hand and tucking it into his pocket, Ling Chen asked, "Warm enough?"
Ye Xiao smiled at him, "Very warm."
Ling Chen didn't dare to look at that smile for too long, "The Captain has a strong fire. If you get cold in the future, just come close to me."
……..
In the middle of the night, Ye Xiao woke up from the cold.
Originally planning to go back to sleep, he suddenly remembered what Ling Chen had said—if he got cold, he could snuggle up to him.
Ye Xiao hesitated for a few seconds, then carefully moved next to Ling Chen with their shoulder to shoulder and hand to hand.
Ling Chen woke up when Ye Xiao made a move. Feeling his Little Fuzzball gradually moving closer to him, Ling Chen sighed in his heart, "Little clingy thing", then reached out and pulled him into his arms.
In the darkness, Ling Chen's voice was low and hoarse, "Still cold?"
"Not anymore."
Ling Chen chuckled and asked, "Do you like being close to the Captain?"
Ye Xiao felt the warmth enveloping him, as if all the cold had been shut out. He whispered, "I like it."
A soft laugh escaped Ling Chen's lips as he pressed them against Ye Xiao's forehead. "Mm, from now on, the Captain will hold our Little Fuzzball every night."
Perhaps sensing Ling Chen's complete indulgence, Ye Xiao grew a bit bolder as he quietly wrapped his legs around Ling Chen and placed his hand on Ling Chen's waist.
"Having clothes in the way is no fun." Ling Chen said before grabbing Ye Xiao's hand and slipping it directly under his shirt to press it against his skin. "This way, it's better for warming your hands. Remember, always put your hands under the clothes from now on."
Ye Xiao asked, "Is this what being in a relationship is like?"
Ling Chen, who had been single for twenty-seven years and surrounded by other single people, calmly answered, "Mm, it's always like this."
After all, this was how it was when you were in a relationship with him.
For the first eighteen years of his life, Ye Xiao had been alone.
Ling Chen wasn't satisfied with just earning Ye Xiao's complete trust; he wanted him to learn to depend on him, to act spoiled, and to ask for things from him.
…..
The next morning, Ye Xiao woke up wrapped in Ling Chen's jacket. Before he even opened his eyes, he instinctively nuzzled his face against Ling Chen's chest.
Ling Chen had spent the night dreaming while holding Ye Xiao, and waking up with a certain reaction. The nuzzling only made it worse, and his pants felt uncomfortably tight.
He forced himself to shift his focus and asked Ye Xiao, "Thirsty?"
Hearing Ye Xiao hum softly, Ling Chen grabbed the military canteen and fed him water with his heart burning with desire—damn, he wanted to feed him mouth-to-mouth, making a single sip last five minutes.
But in the end, he restrained himself—he didn't want to scare him.
After washing up by the river, the group had a simple breakfast and got back in the car, hurrying toward Zone Five.
The daytime temperature was much higher than at night, and the sun peeked through the clouds.
Ling Chen took Ye Xiao up to the car roof for some fresh air. As soon as they sat down, both of them sensed something and stood up again.
Staring intently toward the northwest, Ye Xiao's eyes narrowed. "Giant eagles! This time, it's a flock of birds!"
Birds were more troublesome than the Giant Lizards and Jellyfish they had encountered before because the sky wasn't humanity's domain.
Jumping back into the car through the sunroof, Ling Chen decisively ordered, "Stop the car! Xiao Mu, raise the vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft gun! Can Can, load the shells!"
Jiang Cancan was stunned. "Holy shit, no way! Chen Ge, you actually installed an anti-aircraft gun on the car! You didn't embezzle, did you?"
With their rare alone time interrupted, Ling Chen was in a foul mood and immediately fired back, "The Second Division is so poor we can barely scrape by. Embezzle? Your salary? Your salary is only enough to buy one leg of the anti-aircraft gun's tripod."
Jiang Cancan: That's too harsh!
By then, the gun barrel was already aimed at the approaching Giant Eagles. It was clear that there were five of them.
Ling Chen put on his gloves before be placed his hand on the control lever, and called Ye Xiao's name.
Ye Xiao was leaning against the car window and looking outside. Hearing Ling Chen call him, he turned around. "Captain?"
Ling Chen: "Come here, the Captain will set off some fireworks for you."
With a loud "bang", the recoil shook the entire vehicle as the shell, trailing white smoke, shot straight toward the giant eagle and left a clear arc in the sky.
The explosion lit up the heavens and accurately hit one of the giant eagles. Amid the dispersing smoke, scattered feathers could faintly be seen drifting down, though they soon vanished into the air.
After firing five shots, each with pinpoint accuracy, Ling Chen removed his scorching camouflage gloves. "Did you enjoy the fireworks?" he asked before casually pinching Ye Xiao's cheek.
Ye Xiao mumbled, "It was amazing!"
Jiang Cancan took a step back and whispered to Jian Lan, "If our Chen Ge were an emperor in ancient times, playing with the beacon fires to deceive the feudal lords would be child's play!"
Jian Lan, surprisingly agreed. "Using anti-aircraft guns as fireworks—us common folk can't comprehend the world of the wealthy."
Once they confirmed all the giant eagles had been dealt with, Jian Lan took over driving from Jiang Mu, and they continued forward. While Ling Chen and Ye Xiao climbed back onto the roof of the vehicle.
This time, the surroundings were quiet, with only the sound of the wind. The two sat together with Ling Chen still holding Ye Xiao's hand.
"Earlier, I noticed the candy jar was already one-third empty." Ling Chen remarked.
Ye Xiao quickly defended himself, "I don't eat that much."
"Mm, I know." Ling Chen said while pinching his chin. "Now, open your mouth. The Captain needs to check if Little Fuzzball has any cavities."
Concerned about whether he could continue eating candy every day, Ye Xiao cooperated. He opened his mouth and even let out an "ah". After Ling Chen finished his careful inspection, Ye Xiao anxiously asked, "Do I have cavities?"
"No, your teeth are very beautiful." Ling Chen replied with his gaze deepening and his voice taking on a different tone.
After a moment of silence, Ling Chen suddenly said, "Come on, let the Captain check again."
Ye Xiao obediently opened his mouth once more, "Ah—"
In the next second, Ling Chen cupped Ye Xiao's chin and kissed him directly.
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